Monday, August 8, 2011

Joy Comes with the Morning

Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name. His anger lasts for a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may go on all night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30: 4-5

This is God with a silver lining. God may be angry at us. God may even punish us for a time. Or at least it will seem that way. However, God's anger never lasts. Compare this to God's favor and honor – they last forever. Just like crying all night long, when the sun rises feelings of joy resurface. Sadness, like God's anger, will not last for ever and ever.

Have you ever felt like God was punishing you? What did you feel you had done to deserve that discipline? How did you act or react during that time? At what point did you feel God's anger had abated? Did you have to do something in order to feel as though you were back in God's favor? Did you feel as though you had been crying all night but as soon as the sun rose you were happy again?

Thank God that God' favor lasts for a lifetime. Let us sing to the Lord and praise God's holy name! Amen.